This invention relates in general to an electrical operating apparatus for gates or dampers in the exhaust or chimney flues of oil fired or gas fired heaters for closing the damper when no combustion is taking place to prevent the escape up the chimney flue of air previously heated, thus to alleviate the present energy crisis by conserving gas and fuel oils. Examples of such automatic dampers are found in U.S. Pats. Nos. 2,218,061, 2,224,705, 3,580,238 and 2,166,242. Obviously, such apparatus also provide that the damper shall be in flue-opening position immediately prior to and during the combustion of the fuel.
In known apparatus such as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,238 the electrical control for the damper operating mechanism and the electrical control for the heater, are so connected in circuit that failure of either the damper control or the heater control will detrimentally affect the other.
Furthermore, the prior devices leave much to be desired in that they are dangerous to use, complicated or too expensive, or are not readily adaptable to installation in existing fuel gas and fuel oil heating systems.